Anna Shoemaker Burns It All Down on "Everything Is Fine" [Premiere]
Photo: Josefine Cardoni
Ahead of her debut album Everything is Fine (I’m on Fire), Anna Shoemaker is starting off her 2022 kicking, screaming, and destroying everything in her way. On her electrifying single "Everything Is Fine," the indie-pop artist continues to evolve and break out of the bedroom pop world in favor of a more mature and intentional sound, giving fans an intimate peek into her thoughts and feelings.
“Everything is Fine” is a dynamic and propulsive addition tease of her forthcoming album. The single combines alt-leaning production, intoxicating pop melodies, and notably honest lyricism. Shoemaker perfectly captures the turmoil, charm, and reflection of young adulthood. This introspective struggle is present in lyrics like “Stuck in between apathy and whatever the opposite of that is.” Shoemaker shared that her co-writer Richie Quake pondered whether or not the opposite of apathy was happiness, and she responded, “I’m not interested in using the word ‘happiness’ in this song.”
The accompanying video, directed by Josefine Cardoni, stars the Philadelphia native in her own self-destructive fantasy, burning and destroying everything surrounding her. “I wanted something that encapsulated the energy and anger I felt writing the song,” said Shoemaker. “I was in a period where I felt like I was losing my mind emotionally, so I really wanted to physically represent that.”
As the song comes to its toned-down conclusion, the video ends with Shoemaker now alone, standing in front of a raging fire. The blaze has now presumably consumed her house and everything she’s cared about, leaving her alone and left to her own devices as night falls. "There’s definitely a line between emotional self-destruction and physical destruction that I wanted to erase," says Shoemaker about the video, "Josefine, from the beginning, was completely on board, and we immediately brainstormed everything from the bedroom scene to smashing the guitar and the bloody nose. We really just built the video and story around these moments."
According to the singer, the upcoming record, set to release March 2, is thematically inspired by the phrase, "You’re the only one who can ruin your life." “If I’m crying, it’s because I’m letting myself be upset; if I’m angry, it’s because I am allowing something to affect me,” explains the singer. She adds that people have control over how they react in any given situation. “That’s what makes up who you are! I think it’s called having boundaries? The album is written and done, but I’m definitely still learning about myself through it.”
Listen to "Everything Is Fine" below:
